1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a slidably fitting type connector in which a slide member is slidably movable reciprocally in fitting and detaching directions of multi-pole female and male connector housings. The connector housings are easily fit to each other and detached from each other due to the leverage of a lever which is pivoted by sliding the slide member with a small operation force.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 9-172235, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 6A and 6B show an example of a conventional lever type connector 1 which utilizes leverage to move parts. The lever type connector 1 includes a multi-pole female connector housing 2. A slide groove 4 is formed in the frame supporting portion 3 of the female connector housing 2. A slide shaft 6 projects from a lower end side of a frame-shaped lever 5, and is slidably supported in the slide groove 4. Further, a pair of male connector housings 7 and 7 that are fittable to and detachable from the female connector housing 2 are pivotally supported by a shaft 8 within the frame-shaped lever 5.
Connector housings 2 and 7 are fit to and detached from each other by vertically moving a lever operating portion 9 that projects from an upper end side of the lever 5 so that the lever 5 pivots with the slide shaft 6 as a fulcrum. Incidentally, the technique similar to that of the lever type connector 1 is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei. 6-79080.
In the above-mentioned conventional lever type connector 1, when the male and female connector housings 2 and 7 are fit together they are locked together by a locking mechanism (not shown) provided between both connector housings 2 and 7. The connector housings 2 and 7 are separated by inserting a unlocking jig, such as a screwdriver, into a gap formed between the connector housings 2 and 7. This creates a problem in that it is difficult to operate the lever 5 while separating the connector housings 2 and 7 by using the unlocking jig. Therefore, a high level of skill is required to separate the connector housing 2 and 7.